1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to transfer of images to be displayed, which may occur among a number of display means in a multi-display system.
2. Description of the Related Art:
In a conventional multi-display system, any transfer of display images among a number of display means is made by utilizing specially-designed hardware.
In the case where an image is to be transferred in an enlarged or reduced format among a number of display means, the image of a cursor is also enlarged or reduced so as to properly account for part of an entire image (which is synthesized with another image) to be transferred.
However, such a conventional multi-display system has the problem of increased device size and increased cost due to the use of the aforementioned specially-designed hardware.
On the other hand, if transfer of images among a number of display means is performed by utilizing software means instead of specially-designed hardware, there is a problem in that a substantial burden is laid on the system to slow down the process speed of the overall system because, in general, display images entail a large amount of data.
There is also a problem in that, when the image of a cursor is enlarged or reduced to become part of an entire image which is synthesized with another image to be transferred, the cursor position on the destination display means may be shifted from the intended position, and the cursor itself may become harder to visually recognize.
Furthermore, when two users are seated across from each other, with their respective display means placed xe2x80x9cback to backxe2x80x9d (i.e., so that each user can properly see their own display means), for example, there is a problem in that a user facing one of the display means cannot recognize the position of the cursor which is displayed on the other display means.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-display system comprising: first display means and second display means, wherein a cursor is displayed at a first position on the first display means; cursor position conversion means for converting the first position on the first display means at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the second display means; and cursor display means for displaying a reference cursor at the second position on the second display means as converted by the cursor position conversion means, wherein the first position is converted to the second position by the cursor position conversion means in such a manner that the reference cursor displayed at the second position on the second display means uniquely identifies the first position at which the cursor is displayed on the first display means.
In one embodiment of the invention, the second display means comprises a reference region containing the second position at which the reference cursor is displayed; and the first position is converted to the second position by the cursor position conversion means in such a manner that the second position in the reference region corresponds to the first position on the first display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, an angle between the first display means and the second display means is adjustable to any value.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the first display means and second display means are placed back-to-back.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the multi-display system further comprises reference cursor modification means for modifying at least one of color and shape of the reference cursor, wherein the cursor display means displays the reference cursor at the second position on the second display means in accordance with the at least one of color and shape as modified by the reference cursor modification means.
Alternatively, according to the present invention, there is provided a multi-display system comprising: first display means and second display means, wherein the second display means includes a reference region in which a cursor is displayed; cursor position reverse conversion means for converting a first position in the reference region at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the first display means; and cursor jump means for causing the cursor displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the cursor position reverse conversion means.
In one embodiment of the invention, the multi-display system further comprises cursor display means for displaying a reference cursor at the first position after the cursor displayed in the reference region has jumped to the second position on the first display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, a window is displayed in the reference region, the multi-display system further comprising: window jump means for causing the window displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the cursor position reverse conversion means.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cursor controlling method for a multi-display system comprising: a first step of displaying a cursor at a first position on the first display means; a second step of converting the first position on the first display means at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the second display means; and a third step of displaying a reference cursor at the second position on the second display means as converted by the second step, wherein the second step comprises converting the first position to the second position in such a manner that the reference cursor displayed at the second position on the second display means uniquely identifies the first position at which the cursor is displayed on the first display means.
In one embodiment of the invention, the second display means comprises a reference region containing the second position at which the reference cursor is displayed; and the second step comprises converting the first position to the second position in such a manner that the second position in the reference region corresponds to the first position on the first display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, an angle between the first display means and the second display means is adjustable to any value.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the first display means and second display means are placed back-to-back.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises a fourth step of modifying at least one of color and shape of the reference cursor, wherein the third step comprises displaying the reference cursor at the second position on the second display means in accordance with the at least one of color and shape as modified by the fourth step.
Alternatively, according to the present invention, there is provided a cursor controlling method for a multi-display system comprising first display means and second display means, wherein the second display means includes a reference region in which a cursor is displayed, the method comprising: a first step of converting a first position in the reference region at which the cursor is displayed to a second position on the first display means; and a second step of causing the cursor displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the first step.
In one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises a third step of displaying a reference cursor at the first position after the cursor displayed in the reference region has jumped to the second position on the first display means.
In another embodiment of the invention, a window is displayed in the reference region, the method further comprising: a third step of causing the window displayed in the reference region to jump to the second position on the first display means as converted by the first step.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of (1) providing a multi-display system which, when two users are seated across from each other with their respective display means placed xe2x80x9cback to backxe2x80x9d (i.e., so that each user can properly see their own display means), allows a user facing one of the display means to accurately recognize the position of the cursor which is displayed on the other display means; and (2) providing a cursor controlling method therefor.